Bristol Rovers' chances of gate-crashing the end of season play-off party face an acid test when they take on fellow hopefuls Southend United at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Rovers are currently seven points behind sixth-place Millwall, but could start to apply some end-of-season pressure if they can beat Phil Brown's seventh-placed side.

The game on Saturday is the start of a week that will see Rovers play three games from which they will need a healthy return from if they are to keep alive any ambition of a surprise late season promotion charge.

"It is a very big game for us," said first-team coach Steve Yates at Cribbs Causeway this morning. "It is a chance to add a few more points to the total and to see where that might take us.

"It is another tough game after a very difficult run of fixtures. We came through those very well and we need to take that consistency into all of the games between now and the end of the season.

"We are off the back of a great win and a decent collective performance at Oxford United last weekend and we simply have to keep working as hard as we can to finish as high as we can.

If we can keep passing the ball well and remain focused and concentrated on a consistent basis between now and the end of the season we will give ourselves half-a-chance.

"The key is to avoid looking to far ahead. There are nine points up for grabs over the coming week, but we aren't looking any further ahead than the first of the three games against Southend on Saturday.

"We are taking it game-by-game because that is how we have always done it and it has worked well for us over the last couple of seasons.

"We expected the team to be competitive this season and they have responded in exactly the way we expected them to. If you don't start the season looking to be in the mix for promotion, you may as well put your boots away."

On Southend, who are coming off the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Port Vale, Yates added: They have done very well.

"They have been consistent, but am I surprised that they are where they are? No. We have found out since we have been promoted that there is very little to choose between the teams regardless of league position."

Rovers, though, will be without the suspended midfielder Ollie Clarke, who, along with fellow middle men Chris Lines and Stuart Sinclair committed his future to the club by signing a new deal earlier this week.

"It is great for the club," Yates added. "Two of them are local boys and bringing them through to be regular first-team members is important when you are investing in your youth development structures.

"Ollie Clarke has been excellent over the last few seasons. He has always been a useful player to have around the squad to come in and out to do a job when required. He has really nailed down a starting spot this season because he has added consistency to his game now."

Sinclair has also silenced some of his doubters by holding his own at League One level after spending the majority of his career on the non-league circuit.

"You know what you are going to get with Sincs," Yates said. "He works extremely hard and gives you absolutely everything.

"It doesn't matter what league you are in if you are prepared to work hard and get in people's faces. He can pass the ball as well and has chipped in with a goal here and there. He is a very important member of our squad."